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Travis Hunter effect is alive in the 2025 college football season

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Travis Hunter effect is alive in the 2025 college football season


  • Adam RittenbergSep 9, 2025, 06:52 AM ET

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      College football reporter; joined ESPN in 2008. Graduate of Northwestern University.

Utah‘s mission to reboot its offense started with adding a quarterback-coordinator combination from New Mexico, as Devon Dampier and Jason Beck made their way to Salt Lake City.

But the Utes also needed playmakers to surround Dampier. Their search led them to the transfer portal, naturally, but also to their own roster and, ultimately, to the other side of the ball.

Smith Snowden, who started at nickel in 2024 and had 10 passes defended, and linebacker Lander Barton, the team’s tackles leader in fall 2024 who had six passes defended, were the top options.

“Obviously Travis Hunter last year, the success he had, winning the Heisman [Trophy], that struck a chord with a lot of coaches, taking them through their roster: Who do we have that can contribute both ways?” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham told ESPN. “The bottom line is: What’s going to help you win games? It’s not the novelty of having a two-way guy. Who’s going to give us the best chance to win?”

Hunter’s surge to the 2024 Heisman at Colorado, while playing full time on both offense and defense, might have nudged coaches to expand their view of what was possible for the right players. Although Hunter did things not thought possible in the modern era of college football — he played 2,625 snaps in two seasons at Colorado, leading the FBS in both 2023 and 2024 — his success is already increasing opportunities for others.

Utah opened the season with a 43-10 win at UCLA, in which Snowden led the team in receiving and added a rushing touchdown while Barton caught a touchdown pass from Dampier. Safety Jackson Bennee also had a 17-yard reception. In Week 2, Snowden had two rushes, three catches and two tackles.

“Travis Hunter really set the standard for it,” Snowden said. “He opened a lot of doors for younger athletes that can’t decide if they want to play offense or defense.”

Maybe they don’t have to anymore.

The Utes’ crew is among a small but growing group of players with the license to play both ways. Minnesota sophomore Koi Perich, a first-team All-Big Ten defensive back in 2024 who also stood out on returns, is carving out a bigger role with the Gophers offense. Vanderbilt defensive back Martel Hight, an All-SEC return specialist this past season, is on a similar path as a wide receiver.

They’re all occupying expanded roles, at least in part, because of the Travis Hunter effect.

“It’s starting to open up,” Hight told ESPN. “I’m pretty sure the coaches, they see guys doing it and it probably opens their eyes.”

DURING VANDERBILT’S WINTER conditioning session, Hight was running gassers — sprints across the width of the field — when Jerry Kill, a senior offensive advisor and chief consultant to coach Clark Lea, walked over.

“[Kill] grabbed me and said, ‘Hey, you’re going to be a starting receiver for me,'” Hight said.

Hight came to Vanderbilt as an ESPN 300 recruit and the nation’s No. 33 cornerback out of Rome, Georgia. Like many high school standouts, he played both defense and offense and even faced Travis Hunter when their Georgia high schools played.

“I scored on him, ran him over, he caught a pass on me my junior year, and it was a pretty good catch,” Hight said. “We’ve always kind of had this little back and forth. It was never any trash-talking or anything. We just kept it cordial.”

Hight, however, arrived at Vanderbilt with a clear role on defense. In 2023, he became the first freshman in team history to record a pick-six. He continued to display good ball skills on defense last year, while becoming a bigger factor on punt returns, averaging 14.7 yards with a touchdown, and earning second-team All-SEC honors. After the offseason interaction with Kill, Hight emphasized his desire to play offense to the coaches, and then began running routes with starting quarterback Diego Pavia in spring practice.

“I don’t know that we had quite the idea of how dynamic he could be for us at receiver until we started playing him there and realized that he’s really natural as a pass catcher and a route runner,” Lea said. “As we got out of spring, it was, ‘Hey, let’s see how we can take this a little further.'”

Lea reached out to new Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen, who selected Hunter at No. 2 in April’s NFL draft, about how they intended to use Hunter at the pro level. Kill, who led programs at New Mexico State, Minnesota, Northern Illinois and elsewhere during a 40-year career in college football, contacted Colorado coach Deion Sanders.

“We had a basis of understanding of what he did in college, what Jacksonville’s plan was for him in training camp,” Lea said. “But everybody’s different. We’ve got to look at Martel and think about where we think he can net out here.”

Other coaches made a similar point when asked about the effect Hunter will continue to have on college football. Hunter showed what is possible when given the chance to do it all, but very few can handle anywhere near the play load he took on at Colorado. Hunter famously logged 144 snaps in his Colorado debut at TCU, and eclipsed 120 the following week against Nebraska.

“He’s an anomaly, and you’ve got to understand that that’s not doable for 99.99% of the players,” Whittingham said of Hunter. “So going both ways is a relative statement, because if you go both ways but only play a total of 65 snaps a game, then that’s a normal workload.”

The challenge, then, is figuring out what each player can handle. Snowden played 22 snaps on both defense and offense in the opener at UCLA, as well as three on special teams.

If Utah had been in a closer game, he might have been out there more. Snowden said this past season, he averaged 55-60 snaps per game, almost all on defense.

“I could get to 70 [snaps],” he told ESPN last week. “It will vary game to game. I’m a defense specialist when it comes down to it, so defense is my position, and whatever the team needs on offense, I’m down.”

THOSE ATTEMPTING TO follow Hunter’s path this season have similar profiles.

“They’re primarily defensive guys, and they play some offense,” Whittingham explained. “It’s not very common to have it go the other way.”

Hunter came into college football as ESPN’s No. 2 recruit, and the top cornerback in the 2022 class. Although he broke the Georgia high school record for receiving touchdowns with 48 and had nearly 4,000 receiving yards, he projected as a top defensive back. Despite only 18 receptions his first college season at Jackson State, Hunter saw his receiving production spike at Colorado, and won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver this past season. As a high school senior, Minnesota’s Perich accounted for 27 touchdowns in 10 games — five on defense, four on returns and 16 on offense. He was rated as the top prospect from Minnesota and signed with the Gophers as the nation’s No. 172 recruit and No. 14 safety.

Perich made an immediate impact in 2024, becoming the first freshman in the FBS since at least 1976 to record five interceptions, at least 100 kickoff return yards and at least 100 punt return yards in a season. His 565 all-purpose yards, from returns and interceptions, ranked fourth on the team. As soon as the season finished, Minnesota’s coaching staff began carving out a role for Perich on offense.

Perich spent the spring working with both units, spending 70-75% of his time with the defense, but still attending some meetings with offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh Jr. and co-coordinator Matt Simon. Through two games, Perich has two catches, five punt returns and five tackles.

“You can throw somebody out there and just throw him a deep ball and gimmick him, but is that really playing offense?” Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck told ESPN. “There’ll be certain [individual practice] periods dedicated to safety, certain periods where you come over and play wideout. He’s going to show me ultimately how much he can handle.”

Although Hunter’s talent set him apart, he also embraced the mental toil of toggling between position groups and learning as much as he could on both sides of the ball.

“There’s a burden in this with the player,” Lea said. “There’s a willingness that you don’t have any downtime in the building. You have to go all the time. He’s got to buy into that. Martel is so bright and confident on both sides, we’ve been able to really not hold back on anything.”

Syracuse coach Fran Brown recognizes the mental challenge as well, saying two-way hopefuls must learn an entire playbook and at least a few chapters of another. While other teams are exploring the option with more experienced players, Syracuse is assessing what it has with true freshman Demetres Samuel Jr., who is only 17 and was just 16 when he enrolled this winter.

An ESPN 300 recruit, Samuel has started Syracuse’s first two games and had eight tackles Aug. 30 against UConn. He hasn’t recorded a catch at wide receiver but is expected to have a role there.

“You can’t get down and frustrated when you don’t do well at first, you’re taking two tests, and we’re asking you to learn two things,” Brown told ESPN. “I tell him, ‘You’ve got to run. I don’t care that you just got out of that side, you’ve got to run. Up and down.’ He’s got a lot better at it lately. It takes time.”

As Minnesota and other programs decide how to divide the time for their two-way players, they must weigh what they’re gaining on offense with what they could lose on defense.

“You don’t want to do anything that starts the law of diminishing returns,” Fleck said.

Snowden and Barton were two of Utah’s most productive defenders in 2024. Barton led the Utes in tackles with 72, while Snowden had a team-high eight pass breakups. They were two of three Utah players with multiple interceptions, and each recorded a forced fumble.

Late in the season, Barton provided one of Utah’s top defensive highlights against Iowa State, catching a deflected pass, wriggling free of quarterback Rocco Becht‘s tackle attempt and then sprinting down the sideline for an 87-yard scoring return.

“My theory has always been, you master one position before you even think about playing both ways,” Whittingham said. “It’s not fair to play a guy two ways unless he has a substantial grasp of one side of the ball first. Those guys are experts at defensive play and their assignments. So really, the learning curve is on the other side.”

Minnesota’s coaches organized Perich’s schedule with efficiency in mind. Defensive coordinator Danny Collins said that Perich might get the ball thrown to him on the first play of a practice period on offense and then spend the rest of the time on defense. Or he’ll alternate between offense and defense, much like Hunter did at Colorado.

The Gophers’ depth in the secondary made the plan a bit easier to sell to Collins.

“At first, it was like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, let’s hold on: This is an All-Big Ten safety,'” Collins said. “But at the same time, he’s a tremendous athlete. When the ball is in his hands, special things are going to happen, whether he’s picking it off, whether it’s a punt return. And then you think about, ‘OK, we can put him on offense and get the ball in his hands, now that’s going to help the whole team.'”

WHEN MAPPING OUT the plan for Perich at Minnesota, Fleck watched a lot of Colorado film. His goal wasn’t necessarily to identify a direct comparison, but rather to assess how the Buffs used a distinct talent like Hunter.

“In the new world, that’s the only one you get to look at,” Fleck said of Hunter. “Like, what athlete did it besides Travis Hunter? I don’t see it being trendy, because it’s too hard to be trendy. It takes a really special athlete in a really unique situation that fits. That’s what we have in Koi.”

In his NFL debut, Hunter became the second NFL player in the past 10 years to play at least 30 offensive snaps and five defensive snaps in the same game. Whether he sparks a true trend of two-way players remains to be seen. What’s clear is he has at least cracked open the door for others to try.

Like Kill at Vanderbilt, Brown also contacted Sanders about Hunter’s workload and how he approached such an added workload.

“It’s really hard,” Brown said. “People will try to go down that road. But Coach Prime is a special guy. It takes somebody special like Travis to truly, truly do it. I think Demetres has that chance.”

Hight doesn’t need much prodding about the chance to play more on offense. When he arrived at Vanderbilt, former defensive backs coach Dan Jackson floated the possibility of him taking some snaps with the offense.

After two seasons, though, he didn’t think it was going to happen, which has made this fall even sweeter.

“Honestly, I can play all day,” he said. “I’m like an energetic ball on the field. I’m having so much fun being there with the guys. I don’t really have a number [of snaps]. I’ll go until my heart stops.”

Hight thinks the more players who show they can be reliable options on both sides of the ball will reduce teams’ reliance on the transfer portal to address specific needs, like at wide receiver. But will there be a limit on how many teams explore the two-way track?

“It’s always going to be rough because you’re playing two years of football in one,” said an assistant coach from a top 10 team. “If you’re on a team that’s actually really good, it’s hard to see a guy doing part time at a position and then be better than a guy who’s doing full time.”

Lea has often thought about Hunter since exploring a two-way role for Hight, and how much the Colorado star truly influenced Vanderbilt’s decision. Ultimately, Lea kept coming back to an enduring truth about personnel.

“We can’t afford to not have our best 11 out on the field,” he said.





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The 40-year-old star athlete whose longevity secrets start with beer

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October 26, 2025

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Alex Ovechkin’s 1,500th game in the NHL? As with the first 1,499, he’ll drink to that.



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‘Sooner? Try Later’: Ole Miss’ Oklahoma joke headlines college football Week 9 trolls

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October 26, 2025

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‘Sooner? Try Later’: Ole Miss’ Oklahoma joke headlines college football Week 9 trolls


When you boost your College Football Playoff hopes with a big-time conference win on the road, a postgame troll is warranted.

Ole Miss achieved such a feat Saturday with its 34-26 win over Oklahoma, and poured some salt in the Sooners’ wound afterward.

A balanced Rebel offense racked up 431 yards against Oklahoma’s impressive defense in the win, with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss throwing for 314 yards and running back Kewan Lacy punching in two touchdowns. Ole Miss outscored Oklahoma 9-0 in the fourth, erasing a one-point deficit heading into the final quarter.

After the game, the Rebels’ social media admin had a clever caption at the ready, centered on the Sooners’ nickname.

That wasn’t the only postgame troll posted on social media in Week 9. Here are all the top jabs from around college football:

In a battle of two teams with similar mascots, it was the Bearcats who earned bragging rights over the Bears — and with those bragging rights came a right to a postgame troll. Brendan Sorsby threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one more as Cincinnati moved to 7-1 on the season with a home win against Baylor.

Cincinnati’s social media team opted to reference Baylor’s mascot (and its triumph) with a nod to a viral clip.

It was a dominant rivalry performance by Iowa in the battle for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy, intercepting three Minnesota passes and holding the Golden Gophers to just 133 yards of total offense. The Hawkeyes’ offense, defense and special teams all recorded at least one touchdown in the victory.

Iowa did some digital altering to Minnesota’s logo after the game, posting a video showing Minnesota’s “M” being replaced by an L and the usually smiling gopher crying.

Memphis won one of the biggest Group of Five games of the season thanks to a late surge. After trailing 31-17 heading into the fourth quarter, the Tigers scored the game’s next 17 points and took the lead with just over a minute left to play. South Florida crafted a last-gasp drive to set up a potential tying field goal attempt, but Nico Gramatica’s 52-yard effort sailed wide.

With the win secured, Memphis took to social media to post a final-score graphic, displaying a tiger looming over a bull, with the caption “bullseye hit.”

Kent State also used a late push to win its Week 9 game. After falling behind their MAC foe Bowling Green 21-3 midway through the third quarter, the Golden Flashes controlled the remainder of the contest in a 24-21 win. A trick play put Kent State ahead for good. Da’Realyst Clark took a pop pass on a reverse before throwing to fellow wide receiver Wayne Harris in the end zone for the eventual winning score.

Kent State’s postgame troll of its conference rivals referenced the Falcons’ famous unofficial mascot, a 3-year-old exotic shorthair Persian cat named Pudge, with a clever caption.

Earlier in the week, Sacramento State president Luke Wood referred to Montana as the “pandas” (Montana’s actual mascot is the Grizzlies).

Montana’s social media admin remembered the comment. After the Grizzlies dispatched the Hornets on Friday night, Montana posted a photo on X of a headband-wearing panda sitting in front of the entrance to Sacramento State’s campus — with the L in “California State University Sacramento” emphasized.

Missouri State improved to 4-3 on Tuesday night thanks to a 7-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Clark to Ronnel Johnson in overtime, lifting the Bears over New Mexico State in a battle of .500 squads. The TD capped a productive day for Clark, who totaled 283 passing yards and a trio of passing touchdowns.

After the game, Missouri took a couple of shots at its opponent’s cowboy-themed Aggie mascot — first posting the final score with the caption “walk in your saloon and take over your saloon” and then adding a graphic showing “bears win” written on a pair of boots.

This rivalry matchup wasn’t nearly as close as the scored indicated, as the Spartans‘ final touchdown came with only seven seconds left. The Wolverines ran all over the place on Saturday night, with 276 yards and four touchdowns combined on the ground.

After the game, Michigan laid claim to the state it shares with its rival with a post on social media.

Down 18-14 at halftime, the Aggies turned things on in dramatic fashion in the second half, scoring 35 points and leaving the Tigers in the dust. Marcel Reed threw for 202 yards, rushed for 108, threw two touchdowns and rushed for two more in the win.

After the game, the Aggies made fun of LSU’s much-anticipated — and cancelled — halftime drone show with a brutal troll.





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Projecting the CFP top 12 after Week 9: Vandy’s in the field!

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Projecting the CFP top 12 after Week 9: Vandy’s in the field!


Nowhere in the College Football Playoff selection committee’s protocol does it refer to anything about a team’s history and tradition — or lack thereof. It’s not supposed to care that Vanderbilt hasn’t been 7-1 in 84 years.

The 12 people in that room will absolutely care, though, that Vanderbilt is 7-1 now — with back-to-back wins against ranked SEC opponents LSU and Missouri. Vanderbilt — the story of the season — is on the brink of making its first appearance in any CFP ranking during the playoff era.

And not only will the Commodores crack the committee’s top 25, but they also will have a legitimate chance to make their debut in the coveted top 12 when the first ranking is released Nov. 4. If the playoff were today, they would already be in. A lot can — and will — change with one Saturday remaining before the first ranking is revealed, but here is a snapshot of what it might look like through Week 9 results.

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Projecting the top 12

Why they could be here: The Buckeyes remain safe at the top after a bye week, as Indiana’s home win against a UCLA team that is now 3-5 wouldn’t be enough to sway the committee into flipping them. Ohio State entered Week 9 ranked No. 1 in the country in total efficiency, No. 1 in defensive efficiency, and No. 6 in offensive efficiency. The Buckeyes also have three Big Ten road wins to Indiana’s two, and are No. 1 in ESPN’s Game Control metric with a slight edge over No. 2 Indiana. Ohio State’s win at Washington would also be strongly valued by the committee, as the Huskies improved to 6-2 on Saturday.

Why they could be lower: Indiana keeps making statements – even against unranked teams like UCLA. The Hoosiers’ win at Oregon is better than Ohio State’s victory against Texas, even though the Longhorns managed an epic overtime comeback Saturday at Mississippi State. The selection committee also compares common opponents, and while Ohio State and Indiana beat Illinois with ease, the Hoosiers did it in historic fashion, handing coach Bret Bielema the worst loss of his career.

Need to know: Ohio State’s spot at the top isn’t a guarantee as the season progresses. If Alabama runs the table and wins the SEC, the selection committee will at least consider the Tide for the No. 1 spot. Alabama entered Saturday with the No. 2 toughest schedule in the country — Ohio State was No. 33. The question would be if enough committee members could forgive the season-opening loss to Florida State, which has looked worse every week. So while this pecking order has been fairly stable with the Big Ten at the top, the possibility of shuffling remains — and that includes a promotion for the Hoosiers, too, if they finish as undefeated Big Ten champs.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 29 at Michigan. The Buckeyes are trying to avoid a fifth straight loss to their rivals.

Why they could be here: The Hoosiers asserted themselves against a recharged UCLA team, leaving no doubt they were better in another lopsided win. Indiana still owns the best win in the country, Oct. 11 at Oregon, and the historic 63-10 rout against Illinois is another separation point between the Hoosiers and other contenders. They don’t have a nonconference victory, though, that stacks up against Ohio State’s season-opening win against Texas.

Why they could be higher: Indiana’s sheer domination of UCLA was yet another statement of the Hoosiers’ relentless consistency. They don’t play down to their opponents and have beaten everyone but Iowa by double digits. The 30-20 triumph at Oregon is better than Ohio State’s home win against the Longhorns on the overall résumé, and IU entered Saturday ranked No. 2 in the country in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric — just ahead of Ohio State.

Need to know: The Hoosiers have passed their most difficult tests of the season. Their task now is to avoid what would be a shocking November upset. None of their remaining opponents are ranked and only Maryland (4-3) is above .500. If the Hoosiers run the table and play for the Big Ten championship, they should be a CFP lock. Even if they lose the title game, they should be in contention for a top-four finish and first-round bye.

Toughest remaining game: If Indiana is a playoff team, it shouldn’t lose in November. Three of IU’s last four games are on the road, but Maryland has lost three straight, Penn State has lost four straight and Purdue has lost six in a row. The Hoosiers’ last home game is Nov. 15 against a struggling Wisconsin team. Indiana has at least a 70% chance to win each remaining game.

Why they could be here: The Tide avoided an upset on the road against a scrappy South Carolina team, preserving its position as what should be the committee’s top one-loss team. Alabama hasn’t lost since its season opener at Florida State and has four wins against ranked opponents. The Tide entered Saturday ranked No. 4 in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric, No. 2 in strength of schedule and in the top 15 in offensive and defensive efficiency. The win against Georgia will keep the Tide above the Bulldogs as long as their records remain the same because of the committee’s tiebreaker protocol.

Why they could be lower: The loss to Florida State happened, and the Noles are 3-4. Meanwhile, Texas A&M is still undefeated after its convincing road win at LSU, further enhancing its résumé with a second road victory against a ranked opponent.

Need to know: Alabama has a much-needed bye week and won’t play again before the selection committee releases its first ranking Nov. 4. This eight-game résumé is what the group will use to determine where Alabama starts.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 13 vs. Oklahoma. The Tide should be favored to prevail at home, but it’s a week after hosting LSU. Alabama has at least a 72% chance to win each of its remaining games, according to ESPN Analytics. Alabama and Georgia have the best chances in the conference to reach the SEC title game.

Why they could be here: With the win at LSU on Saturday, the Aggies have compiled one of the most impressive résumés in the country, further cementing their place in the top four. Texas A&M now has two road victories against ranked opponents, including the Sept. 13 nonconference win at Notre Dame. It was also their second straight SEC road triumph after escaping Arkansas. The Aggies are No. 1 in the country in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric and entered Week 9 ranked No. 8 in Game Control. Even with one loss, though, Alabama has four wins against ranked opponents. Texas A&M could be held back by the committee because LSU and Notre Dame are the only opponents it has defeated with winning records. Everyone else is a combined 20-26.

Why they could be higher: The Aggies are undefeated and some committee members will have a hard time forgetting Alabama’s loss to Florida State.

Need to know: The Aggies and Tide don’t play each other during the regular season but could settle the debate in the SEC championship game. Texas A&M also doesn’t play Georgia during the regular season.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 28 at Texas. The Longhorns’ playoff hopes could be on the line, and finishing the season on the road against a rival is never easy.

Why they could be here: The Bulldogs had a bye week, but their Oct. 18 victory against Ole Miss looks even better today after the Rebels won at Oklahoma. Georgia’s head-to-head win against Ole Miss will keep it above the Rebels as long as their records are comparable because of the tiebreaker in the committee’s protocol. A three-point loss to Alabama will also keep the Bulldogs below the Tide for the same reason. The overtime road win against what should be a CFP Top 25 Tennessee team adds to their résumé and helps separate Georgia from other one-loss contenders.

Why they could be lower: Lopsided wins against Marshall and Austin Peay aren’t going to impress anyone in the committee meeting room. Kentucky and Auburn have at least four defeats each. The Bulldogs entered their bye week No. 6 in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric.

Need to know: Rival Georgia Tech has the best chance of any team to reach the ACC championship game, which means Georgia has an opportunity to possibly enhance its résumé with a victory against the eventual ACC champion or runner-up.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 28 vs. Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are undefeated and pushed the Bulldogs to eight overtimes last year. This year’s game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Why they could be here: The Rebels earned their first road win against a ranked SEC opponent Saturday at Oklahoma, adding to an already impressive résumé that includes victories against Tulane and LSU. The eight-point loss at Georgia on Oct. 18 is the only blemish, and it’s one of the best ways to lose in the eyes of the committee — on the road to a ranked opponent in a close game. That head-to-head result, though, will keep Ole Miss behind Georgia as long as their records remain the same.

Why they could be lower: The Rebels entered Week 9 ranked No. 71 in defensive efficiency, well below most other contenders here. Typically, top playoff teams rank in the top 10 to 15 in offense and defense. Ole Miss had allowed 22 points per game through the first seven games and was No. 108 in the country with 10 sacks. The Rebels also are one of the most penalized teams in the nation, giving up 69 yards per game through the first seven games.

Need to know: In this projection, Ole Miss would earn the No. 6 seed, which would mean a first-round home game as the higher seed. The Rebels might need help to get into the SEC championship game because of the setback to Georgia but shouldn’t lose again. Ole Miss likely won’t face another ranked opponent this season.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 28 at Mississippi State. The Egg Bowl is always interesting, but a loss to the Bulldogs could mean a first-round road trip instead of a home game — or getting bumped out of the bracket entirely.

Why they could be here: The Canes got off to a slow start at home against Stanford, but eventually pulled away to avoid what would have been a devastating defeat to a sub-.500 team. The Hurricanes rebounded from their Oct. 17 loss to Louisville, and still have a decent résumé, but it’s lost some of its luster. The win against South Florida remains respectable, but the Bulls chances of winning the American took a hit Saturday with their loss to Memphis. Florida has already fired coach Billy Napier, and Florida State has lost four straight. Miami’s season-opening win against Notre Dame, though, is still one of the best nonconference wins in the country and continues to help separate the Canes from other contenders with weaker schedules. It also helped Miami that Louisville beat Boston College and should be a one-loss CFP Top 25 team, softening the blow of that loss a little. And Miami is still performing well, ranking in the top 12 in offensive and defensive efficiency.

Why they could be lower: Some selection committee members could argue that Vanderbilt has a better résumé than Oregon and Miami as far as one-loss teams. Even before the Commodores earned their second victory against a ranked opponent, they were No. 11, sandwiched between No. 10 Oregon and No. 12 Miami in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric.

Need to know: The Canes will leave their home state for the first time all season when they travel to SMU on Saturday.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 29 at Pitt. The Panthers have captured four straight games, including a stunning 53-34 win against NC State on Saturday.

Why they could be here: The 10-point home loss to Indiana is the only blemish, and the committee would consider that a decent loss. They would also still look somewhat favorable upon the double overtime win at Penn State, considering the Nittany Lions still had their head coach and it was an unforgiving environment and crowd. It certainly isn’t a statement win, but nobody in the room is going to penalize Oregon for it, either. The Ducks entered Week 9 ranked No. 10 in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric.

Why they could be lower: The Ducks came out flat against a struggling Wisconsin team, and don’t have a lot on their résumé to compare with other one-loss teams. Vanderbilt has two better wins, and undefeated BYU can argue better wins against Utah and Iowa State. The committee would point out an FCS win against Montana State, and Oklahoma State and Oregon State are a combined 2-14. Overall, Oregon entered Saturday with the No. 31 strength of schedule — just slightly ahead of No. 34 Vanderbilt.

Need to know: Oregon has more chances to impress the selection committee in November, with games against Iowa, USC and at Washington looming — all teams with winning records and potentially ranked in the CFP Top 25. The committee doesn’t project ahead, though, and Oregon has a bye week heading into the first ranking. Don’t be surprised if the Ducks are lower than some might expect the defending Big Ten champions to be when the first ranking is revealed on Nov. 4. Last year’s results don’t impact the committee’s decisions this year, but schedules do. Oregon has a bye before the first ranking is revealed, and not a lot on its résumé to impress the group. Eye test will play a role.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 29 at Washington. The 6-2 Huskies have only lost to Ohio State and on the road against Michigan.

Why they could be here: The committee would have a difficult decision, putting the one-loss Commodores ahead of two undefeated teams, but could justify it because Vanderbilt’s two best wins are better than BYU’s wins against Utah and Iowa State — and better than any of Georgia Tech’s wins. The lone loss was to Alabama, which should be the committee’s top one-loss team. The Commodores have now won back-to-back games against ranked SEC opponents. They also earned a convincing 31-7 win at South Carolina, which just pushed Alabama to the brink. Vanderbilt would be compared with one-loss Texas Tech, and the Commodores have better wins than the Red Raiders, and a better loss, as Texas Tech lost to Arizona State.

Why they could be lower: The committee could reward the undefeated Big 12 and ACC teams simply because they haven’t lost yet.

Need to know: This position could change quickly, as Vandy is at Texas on Saturday, it’s last chance to make a first impression on the selection committee before its first ranking. Vandy’s last two games against ranked SEC opponents are both on the road; Saturday at Texas and in the regular-season finale on Nov. 29 at Tennessee.

Toughest remaining game: Saturday at Texas. The Longhorns are desperately trying to keep their playoff hopes alive by avoiding a third loss, and ESPN Analytics gives them at least a 70% chance to win.

Why they could be here: BYU entered Week 9 ranked No. 60 in ESPN’s Strength of Schedule metric, which would be a significant drawback in the committee meeting room — but it’s ahead of Georgia Tech in both schedule strength and Strength of Record, where BYU was No. 5 on Saturday. BYU rallied at Iowa State to earn its fourth road win of the season and remains the only undefeated team left in the Big 12. Its best wins, though, are against Utah and Iowa State, which are both over .500 but borderline CFP Top 25 teams.

Why they could be lower: The committee would discuss an FCS win against Portland State, and a win against a sub-.500 team in West Virginia. BYU also needed double overtime to win at unranked, three-loss Arizona on Oct. 11.

Need to know: This was BYU’s last chance to impress the selection committee before the first ranking is revealed on Nov. 4 because they have a bye week on Saturday. The committee will have an undefeated Big 12 team to consider for its first of six rankings.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 8 at Texas Tech. The Red Raiders rebounded from their loss at Arizona State with a convincing win against a beleaguered Oklahoma State team on Saturday. BYU and Texas Tech have the highest chances to reach the Big 12 title game, according to ESPN Analytics, followed by Cincinnati. The Cougars have to play both opponents on the road during the regular season, but have a bye week to prepare for the Nov. 8 game at Texas Tech.

Why they could be here: Undefeated Georgia Tech entered this week ranked No. 72 in ESPN’s Strength of Schedule metric, which will probably keep the Jackets lower in the committee’s top 12. Their best nonconference win is at Colorado, and the committee would note an FCS win against Gardner-Webb. Even without three injured starters, though, Georgia Tech pulled away to beat Syracuse soundly on Saturday — and the committee considers injuries to key players. The Jackets needed a convincing win after struggling multiple times to get separation against unranked opponents.

Why they could be higher: The Yellow Jackets would likely be behind BYU because the Cougars have better wins, but they could both be above Vanderbilt if more committee members keep the Commodores lower because of their loss to Alabama.

Need to know: Without any CFP Top 25 wins on their résumé, style points could come in handy in November in case Georgia Tech loses to rival Georgia and doesn’t win the ACC. A win against Georgia, though, would impress the committee any way it happened. That would make it much easier for the group to include Georgia Tech as an at-large team if the Jackets’ lone loss is to the ACC champion.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 28 vs. Georgia. The Yellow Jackets took their rival to eight overtimes last year before losing, 44-42, in Athens.

Why they could be here: The Irish remain on the bubble following their bye week, but the Oct. 18 home win against USC catapulted them back into the conversation. It was their first win against a ranked opponent, and the fifth straight win since an 0-2 start. Notre Dame was No. 9 overall in ESPN’s Strength of Schedule metric entering Saturday, but some committee members will have trouble voting the Irish much higher because of the two losses — even though they were by a combined four points to two ranked opponents. The victory against 6-2 Boise State was one of Notre Dame’s best wins, and that was part of a string of three games in which the Irish defense held its opponents to 13 points or fewer.

Why they could be lower: With the losses to Miami and Texas A&M, Notre Dame checked in at No. 18 in ESPN’s Strength of Record metric entering Saturday. It didn’t help that Miami lost to Louisville.

Need to know: If the playoff were today, Notre Dame would be bumped out to make room for the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion, which is guaranteed a spot in the 12-team field. Right now that team — Memphis as the projected American champion — would be ranked outside the top 12. As an independent, Notre Dame can’t lock up a spot in the playoff as one of the five conference champions, so its only path is through an at-large bid.

Toughest remaining game: Nov. 15 at Pitt. Notre Dame is projected to win each of its remaining games, but this one is on the road against an ACC team above .500. The Irish entered Week 9 with the best chance in the country to win out (68.4%).

Bracket

Based on the rankings above, the seeding would be:

First-round byes

No. 1 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
No. 2 Indiana
No. 3 Alabama (SEC champ)
No. 4 Texas A&M

First-round games

On campus, Dec. 19 and 20

No. 12 Memphis (American champ) at No. 5 Georgia
No. 11 Georgia Tech at No. 6 Ole Miss
No. 10 BYU (Big 12 champ) at No. 7 Miami (ACC champ)
No. 9 Vanderbilt at No. 8 Oregon

Quarterfinal games

At the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

No. 12 Memphis/No. 5 Georgia winner vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 11 Georgia Tech/No. 6 Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Alabama
No. 10 BYU/No. 7 Miami winner vs. No. 2 Indiana
No. 9 Vanderbilt/No. 8 Oregon winner vs. No. 1 Ohio State



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